Hair curler



Oct. 7, 1969 KUHN 3,470,888

HAIR CURLER Filed Jan. 5, 1967 [O5 20 34 :poc; @Q; 5 fig. 2. i 0 Q q g n n n n n LEE H. KUHN lNVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,470,888 HAIR CURLER Lee H. Kuhn, Hollenberg, Kans., assignor of one-half to Richard D. Wilson, Robert A. Barlow, Benjamin C. Nelf, In, and Gene D. Watson, all of Lincoln, Nebr. Filed Jan. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 606,872

Int. Cl. A45d 2/10 US. Cl. 132-40 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates generally to a hair curling device, and more particularly, to such a device which is characterized by adjustable means providing continuous selective control by an operator of the tightness or tension in a curl while the device is being used.

Numerous types of hair curler assemblies for artificially forming curls are well-known in the art, and usually include a cylindrical roller around which a strand of hair is spirally wound and means for pinning or attaching the roller to the hair so that the curl can set after it is initially formed. However, known devices lack satisfactory means for controlling tension in a curl during the manipulative steps of forming the curl and pinning the roller to the hair, or for controlling the inherent slackening of tension in a curl after a curl is formed and is setting and drying. With such devices, at least part of the curler assembly must be removed to rewind the' curl to acquire a desired tightness if curl tension is not satisfactory. Removal of part of the curler assembly to adjust tension which is lost is inconvenient, and wholly impractical when a curl is setting and drying, and a less than satisfactory curl is usually the result. Although some known devices have suggested means for partially controlling tension, these devices are impractical because either too inefficient to form a satisfactory curl or too complex to use or economically fabricate. The present invention overcomes these basic but major deficiencies of the prior art and achieves a long sought after goal by providing an improved hair curler which, in its relative simplicity, is economically feasible and both practical and efiicient to use, and as one of its novel aspects, comprises positive tensioning means for obtaining and continuously maintaining operator selected tightness in a curl throughout the curl forming and setting process. Furthermore, the positive tensioning means of the present invention can be conveniently utilized by an operator to assist in the manipulative step of initially winding a strand of hair around the roller portion of the curler assembly.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair curling device which is inexpensive to fabricate and simple to operate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair curling assembly which is convenient and economically feasible for either home use or professional styling.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair curling device having a continuously operable te-nsioning mechanism which facilitates selective adjustment of the tension in a curl.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair curling device which can be easily manipulated to periodically adjust tension in a curl after the curl has been initially formed and the device is secured to the hair.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair curling device which is continuously adjustable to maintain a hair curl in a preselected tightened condition without injuring the hair during the time the curl is setting.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair curling device which is readily adjusted throughout the curling process to increase or decrease tension in a curl without removing any part of the curler assembly.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair curling device which is continuously adjustable to compensate for any loss of tension occurring in a curl while or after the curl is formed.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair curling device which is readily adjusted to facilitate setting and maintaining a curl with preselected tightness.

Still other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art and armed with a general knowledge and understanding of the principles of the invention as illustrated by the preferred embodiment described hereinafter.

Toward accomplishing the foregoing objects, the invention basically comprises in varying degrees of specificity a conventional spool-type cylindrical roller or mandrel around which a strand of hair is spirally wound, a retaining member associated with the mandrel for securing the tips of the strand of hair to the mandrel, an outer clamping shell having means for slidably and rotatably seating said mandrel, means for guiding the mandrel into proper seated engagement with the clamping shell, means for selectively slip locking the mandrel in seated engagement with said clamping shell, means for selectively rotating the mandrel in either direction within and in seated engagement with the outer clamping shell, and means associated with the clamping shell to maintain the curler assembly securely in place while a hair curl is setting. Preferably, the slip locking means is embodied in frictionally engaging components on the respective seating surfaces of the mandrel and the outer clamping shell, as is more fully described hereinafter.

I have set forth with particularity in the appended claims those novel features which I consider characteristic of my invention, but the invention itself, its structure, operation, advantages, and rearrangements or modifications, will be best understood from the following description of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the illustrative drawings in which like characters denote like parts.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a hair curling mandrel around which a curl is spirally formed.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the mandrel illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the outer clamping shell of the hair curler assembly into which the mandrel illustrated in FIG. 1 is rotatably seated.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mandrel illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the outer clamping shell illustrated in FIG. 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the hair curler assembly embodying my invention comprises generally an elongated mandrel around which hair is spirally wound and an outer clamping shell 12 into which mandrel 10 is rotatably seated as hereinafter described.

In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the respective end sections of mandrel 10 are formed with circumferential grooves 14 and 16 each having circumferentially spaced indentations or openings 18 encircling the mandrel at the innermost part of the groove. As is customary in the trade, mandrel 10 is formed with a plurality of vent openings 20 in the central section thereof between the grooved end sections to provide ventilation to all parts of a hair curl while it is setting and drying and also to lighten the weight of the curler assembly. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the ventilated central section of the mandrel between the grooved end sections is preferably recessed to provide clearance to accommodate hair wound on the mandrel when the mandrel is seated in the clamping shell 12. Control bar 21 is secured to and extends from one end on the mandrel.

For purposes of illustration, a conventional retaining bar 22 is herein used for securing the tips of a strand of hair to mandrel 10. Retaining bar 22, which is rotatably mounted at pivot pin 24, is formed at one end with an actuating handle 26 and at the other end with a hooked terminal portion 28 for latching engagement with the wall of mandrel 10 when portion 28 is inserted through opening 30. However, it should be understood that many other devices could be utilized to secure hair to the mandrel. For example, instead of a free acting retaining bar, a spring actuated arm biasing the bar to a latched position could be easily incorporated in the hair assembly show, and in one of the broader aspects of the invention, the retaining member could be eliminated.

In the manipulative steps of initially forming a curl, the tips of a strand of hair are placed between the ventilated central section of mandrel 10 and retaining bar 22, and the retaining bar is rotated toward and into latching engagement with the mandrel to secure the strand for winding around the mandrel.

Outer clamping shell 12 comprises generally a substantially semi-cylindrical central section formed with a plurality of vent holes 34, substantially U or hook-shaped seating ribs 36 and 38 at opposing ends of the ventilated central section which are spaced apart a distance equal to the longitudinal distance between grooves 14 and 16, and a stabilizing comb portion formed with a plurality of teeth 40. The innermost faces of the ribs are formed to project slightly inwardly from the ventilated central section of the clamping shell to provide additional clearance for hair wound around the mandrel when the mandrel is seated in the clamping shell. Each of the ribs 36 and 38 is formed with an arcuate section preferably forming an arc in excess of 180 degrees, and a leg extending outwardly and tangentially from said arcuate section to engage and slidably support the respective concave surfaces of grooves 14 and 16 for properly aligning and guiding the mandrel into rotatably seated engagement with the innermost faces of the respective arcuate sections of ribs 36 and 38. The end portions of the arcuate sections opposite the respective legs are preferably curved slightly upward, as illustrated in FIG. 5, to facilitate-seating the mandrel. The preferred circumferential reach of the arcuate section of each rib provides a circumferential seated engagement between the mandrel and the clamping shell in excess of 180 degrees and thereby prevents the unintentional unseating of the mandrel. In addition, the seated engagement of the ribs in the grooves prevents longi tudinal movement of the mandrel relative to the clamping shell.

Latching dogs 42 project inwardly from the innermost faces of the arcuate sections of each rib and engage the indentations 18 in grooves 14 and 16 when the mandrel is properly seated to frictionally lock and thereby prevent unintentional rotation of the mandrel relative to the clamping shell. Preferably the clamping shell, and particularly ribs 36 and 38, is constructed from a resilient material to facilitate seating the mandrel and to provide a biasing spring tension in the ribs to press the dogs 42 into the indentations 18. As best illustrated in FIG. 5, it has been found to be preferable to provide on each rib two dogs which are spaced apart degrees, with one of the dogs on each rib being formed on the arcuate section a short distance from the point of tangency with the extending leg of the rib. This spacing and location of the locking dogs minimizes hindrance to seating the mandrel and facilitates selective rotation of the mandrel in either direction after it is seated and initially locked in the clamping shell. By providing positive seating engagement and frictional locking at each end of the mandrel, the tension across the breadth of a curl is equalized. Although other releasable locking mechanisms could be adapted for use in the present invention by one skilled in the art, the presently preferred embodiment has been found to be highly satisfactory in its relative simplicity to maintain a positive locking action which is easily overcome when rotation of the mandrel is desired.

After a strand of hair is secured to the mandrel and the mandrel is properly seated as described above, a curl is formed by rotating the mandrel 10 within the clamping shell 12. By grasping and turning control bar 21, the dogs 42 are forced out of the indentations 18 and the mandrel is slidably rotated within and relative to the clamping shell. Each time the mandrel has been rotated a circumferential distance equal to the spacing of adjacent indentations, the dogs 42 again engage indentations to prevent unintentional rotation of the mandrel. Similar manipulated rotation of the mandrel is continued until the curl has been formed with an operator selected tightness. As the part of the strand of hair being wound on the mandrel approaches the scalp the comb portion of the clamping shell is forced securely into place against the head to assist in holding the curler assembly in place. If a curl has been formed before the mandrel is properly seated, or if there is a slackening of tension in the curl while it is setting and drying, tension is adjusted without removing any part of the curler assembly by merely rotating the mandrel in the appropriate direction.

In a preferred use of the invention, the mandrel is seated in the clamping shell so that the forcing action of the comb against the scalp is acting against the tendency of the tension in the hair to cause unwinding. For example, if the comb portion of the clamping shell illustrated in FIG. 5 is placed substantially flush against the scalp, a hair curl would be spirally wound around the mandrel illustrated in FIG. 4 and the mandrel seated such that tension in the curl would be increased by turning the mandrel counterclockwise. In this manner the entire hair curling assembly is secured in place without the use of hairpins or the like.

The embodiment of the invention described herein and illustrated in the drawings is the presently preferred embodiment, and obviously this illustrated and described embodiment is susceptible of various rearrangements and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention itself. Thus, equivalent seating and locking mechanisms could be adapted for controlling tension in a hair curl. Furthermore, in the embodiment of the invention shown in the illustrative drawings, and described herein, the outer shell 12 of the hair curler assembly is designed for positioning near the scalp. However, it will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that this assembly could be modified to provide a device incorporating the present invention for forming curls at or near the tips of the hair by simply providing an outer shell having means to secure the shell to the hair at a point removed from the scalp where it is desired to have a curl formed. Accordingly, the outer shell could be provided with a clamping mechanism, such as the holding bar assembly illustrated for use with the mandrel, for securing the shell to the hair at a point removed from the scalp if a curl is desired only in the end portion of the hair.

Having thus patentably distinguished and described my invention in the manner required by the patent statutes, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States and what I claim is:

1. A hair curling device comprising:

(a) an elongated mandrel having a central section, a first end section and a second end section, said first and said second end sections being disposed adjacent to and at opposing ends of said central section, and said first and said second end sections each having formed therein a circumferential groove having a plurality of circumferentially spaced indentations;

(b) a clamping shell adapted for engaging and slidably seating said mandrel, said clamping shell having a substantially semicylindrical center section, a substantially hook-shaped first seating rib and second seating rib, said first and said second seating ribs be ing disposed adjacent to and at opposing ends of said center section for slidably and rotatably seating in partial circumferential engagement said first and said second end sections respectively of said mandrel, and said first and said second seating ribs each having formed thereon at least one dog projecting inwardly from the innermost face thereof for engaging one of said circumferentially spaced indentations, whereby unintentional longitudinal or rotational movement of said mandrel relative to said clamping shell is prevented; and

(c) selectively operable means for rotating said mandrel in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction relative to and in sliding engagement with said first seating rib and said second seating rib of said clamping shell.

2. A hair curling device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first seating rib and said second seating rib are substantially parallel and spaced apart a distance equal to the longitudinal spacing between said circumferential grooves, and each of said ribs respectively comprises an arcuate section for supporting and slidably seating said most face therefrom, said first and said second dogs being spaced apart on said arcuate section approximately degrees.

5. A hair curling device in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a retaining bar mounted on and operatively associated with the mandrel for securing a strand of hair between said bar and said mandrel.

6. A hair curling device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said central section of the mandrel is recessed inwardly from said first and said second end sections.

7. A hair curling device in accordance with claim 2 and further comprising a comb section extending tangentially and outwardly from the center section of the clamping shell and in substantial alignment between the respective legs of said first seating rib and said second seating rib.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,625,164 1/1953 Pazul 13239 2,754,831 7/ 1956 Polykranaz l3239 2,759,484 8/1956 Tomek 132-40 3,358,698 12/1967 Blanchard 13240 FOREIGN PATENTS 962,906 7/ 1964 Great Britain.

ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner 

